Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-01-01
Written for The EVENING STAR:
ANTOINE MORELLI.
BY CHRISTOPHER B. P. EPwoRTH.
Copyright, 1881

Copyright, 1881
And this was what read in the yellow, and
time-worn manuscript, which rustled like dead
leaves in my hand.
"The moonlight was falling on the path that
led up 10 the door OF my new home, when i
alighted from my horse at the gate, and looked
around me- II was a small dark cottage, with a
plantation OF nr-trees behind it, and four cross
roads meeting Just in front At the Junction or
these roads a stone cross was planted, which had
evidently been standing for many years, as il was
overgrOwn with moss and lchen, and on one OF the
arms a robin had built her nest"
/ looked up in establishment The house OF
which the writer spoke, was my temporary home
and there, Just beyond the gate, were the four
crossroads, the stone cross, and some remains OF
the robins nest, still swinging In the breeze .
What did II mean?
'SOIne strange fancieS took possession OF my
mind as | gazed around and noted this popularity
An the landscape. At the crossing OF four roads,
had always been told in my childhood, il was Gus
JOInary 10 bury the criminals who had suffered
the full TigOr OF the law. IL seemed that could
imagine far down beneath that cross, the form Of
dead man, with a stake thrust through his
heart WhenI leaned over the gate and saw
long and narrow mound at its foot, was certain
that it was so, although, at the same time, COM
mon sense taught me TO the contrary, and made
NE smile at py folly
laid down the paper and looked out at the
stone cross. The daisies were growing thickly all
around it, but at its foot they seemed sprinSing
from a trench-their heads were lower than those
around them. went out bOldly-for the after
noon sun was shining in the sky-and gathered
some from each place. The stems were alike in
length. This irregularity, therefore, must pro-
coed from some other cauSe-and that, the sink
dng of the grave where the feOn was buried
shuddered as thought OF him then with the stake
driven through his heart. 1 came back and began
to read again.
''But was not to be driven from my purpose by
a grave. had entered that solitude in search OF
peace-and in the lOw-rOOied cottage before me il
might be found l unfastened the gate wonder
ing, a. | did 50, whose fingers had touched It last
and went up through the tall grass to the house
The door was fastened with a rusty paddock, OF
which had the key. IL creaked diSmaliy as
entered, and the threshoUld, stopping suddenly
downward, sent me headl0ng into the room. \
thousand echoes sounded through the old house as
Tell upon one knee.
'sWhen the noise and dust had subsidized. struck
match, lighted small pocket taper which car
RED with me, and looked around The room IN
which / stood was large and gloomy. The walls
We're paneled and painted a dark green; the case
meatS We're shattered; the floor loose and cTeak-
Ing beneath my step. and the air full of floating
CObWebS, that hung from the walls and ceilings
swaying about with every breath OF wind sew
erdl large rats across the floor Is stood there
great toad sat close in the corner blinking al the
light and fat, boated spider fell from the ceiling
and passed into the next rOOm.T
looked over my shoulder. Yes, the writer had
OeScrlDeu the room 1dlt Hfuily. IL was the same
now, though the rats and the toad were gone, and
the spiders web had been brushed away. But in
The inner rOcm-Jhe room which / had chosen as
my fayOrtte neOk for reading and Study-what
would he discover there?
ut was much smaller than the other-lighter
an more cheerful. Through the broken easements
came the eTfume OF the red roses which grew out
side, and ne moonlight fell in broken patches on
III. floor. This room was also paneled, but IL was
painted prettily-SOme light delicate tint, that
was more like dOve-colOr than anything else can
call TO mind. while the floor looked like clean
green marble. In this room found the few arti-
Giles OF furniture which l had ordered-a table,
some chairs, stove, bookcase and my writing
desk. flung myself down in an easy chair thai
stood beside the window and inhaled the fragrance
OF the roses while surveyed my new domain.
suddenly my eyes CHANGED upon an object
which made me start and sit upright in my chair.
My little taper was burning on the table opposite
me, and above fright above it-a face seemed
growing out OF the panel TO confront me- dark
swarthy Italian face, with long, snaky locks OF
black hair falling around the hollow cheeks, with
piercing, evil black eyes, that seemed 10 look me
through and through A dull red glow seemed TO
peryade the whole face, as II fire was kindled be-
hind it-and through the lips, half parted in a
sardonlc smile saw the CLEAN OF white, wolfish
.For moment / sat motionless and heard my
own heart beat. Then mustered courage TO take
up the lamp and gaze at the thing. still nearer
Pshawi IL was only picture, painted on the
panel. and the dull, red glow was owing to some
| strange fancy OF the artist. He had made the
background both lurfd and murky. and the pale
face stood out from IL In bold relief / sighed a
sigh of 1neffable relief when found what in really
was, and Went out 10 care for my horse who began
20 neigh and STAMP impatiently. saw him safely
bestowed for the night, and coming back found my
own small cot placed in a bedroom which opened
out OF that which contained the picture and
which dignihed with the name OF study.
1T was not late when i exIinguished my taper
and laid down TO Sleep-but the moon had mount
ed high In the heavens before had closed NV
eyes had never thought myself fanciful or
imaginative man; my nerves, | had always SUD-
posed, We're proof against all danger, seen or un-
seen-yet some strange presenttrnent haunted me,
and that face was close beside all the time
To me IL seemed as the face OF a fieDd
Il do not know that / should have slept till dav-
break had IL not been for neigh from my horse
who always seemed restless Strange as it NAV
seem, that SOothed me with a sense or cOnpapiOn-
ship and safety-and found the repOse so much
needed"
The picture OF the italian face had never been
removed from the panel On which IL was painted
got up from my seat in the open door dor as the
story progressed dared not read IL In the house,
and went In TO look at it. Many time had IL star.
tied NE, but never 50 much as then A new ex-
preston seemed stamped upon the face-the lurid
ElOW deepened and darkened and the thin Inns
miled more sardOnicaliy than ever. 1 remember
..Ilnklns a. 1 stood there, that 1t only needed a
pair OF horns projecting beneath that tangled
black hair and u deep IurrOw upon the brow as n
Dol IRON had been across II, 10 make faithful
picture OF the archeneIny OF that fallen ange. no
Vas east out from heaven, and whose naughty
soul, even the fortunes Of Hades could scarcely
% dared not look at II long, but went back to the
open door, where the sunshine and the blue sky
and the happy songs OF birds seemed ia measure
on:
MY 1OreDOdlngS had all vanished when / woke
NE beAt morning and found the sun shining gIo-
rlously into my room. Through the day had no
.ei-ure 10 mink OF mysteries, so busy in get
ting my little household into order By nigbtIan
all Was settled a. II should Oe, and having Visited
ny good steed, ard given him his supper his
nightly DIT Of sugar and his goodnight caress
ciOoed the gate o1 the little yard behind me ana
Set OF for d walk.
Inc moon was up-it was glorious night
could nave read The finest print by the clear omen
light passed along the graSS-grown road with
my hands cidSped behind me and INV head BENT
upon my breast, singing a song had heard In for
esn lands In my youth Now and then fancfed
that heard step behind me and a voice Joining
Win IiIie IN the song, but when looked around
was always alone.
II he road led me up a green hill crowned with
naples, while the highway ran around its base.
with broad swift river flowing lust beside IL /
pduSeu upon the summit 10 hear the murmur of
the water Before me a grass-groyyn tomb
Wnoee IRON door seemed 10 have been closed for
centuries, While just beyond the white stones OF "A
Snulchy aro were sleeping peacefully In the moon
Wei did know that quiet place OFTEN. during
ING ols hOuTs Oi a summers afternoon. had /
fingered there among the mOssy headsfones 1.zint
down upon the road and riyer below twtni1g rhe
roses that grew wild within the enclosures. or
reading some Iayorfie book as i SAL close wirhtn
the shelter or the old wall But AT night i sIways
avoided lit Was a lonely SPOT
I" leaned over the crumbling wall this s,ranoa
man went on 10 say land unused silently over ne
bieePcro "ho were resting there. How was IL with
.nehi now! HOW Was IL with those whom had
loved ana lost: Dd they remember me in their
new NONE? Had they one thought OF him to whom,
llOGTnel their IO@SS - $1,000 III